Police Remind Residents To Close Garage Doors

Washington police are reminding residents to close garages and lock doors to their homes and vehicles.

Police are currently investigating a theft of a gun from a vehicle in the Autumn Leaf subdivision. The theft was reported Wednesday, Nov. 22.

According to the police report, the gun was in the center console of a truck. The truck owner told police he went outside at 11:30 p.m. to get some paperwork out of the vehicle, and must have left the doors unlocked.

The gun, some cash and a package of cigarettes were discovered missing the next morning. During the investigation, the man’s wife reported she heard the garage door open the same night. When she went to check on the noise, the door was closed but the light was on inside the garage.

Police said another neighbor about a block away had cigars stolen out of his vehicle. The garage door openers in the cars also no longer worked.

Washington Police Detective Sgt. Steve Sitzes said people should be careful about locking their cars left outside. This year police have dealt with a number of reports of stealing from unlocked cars.

If cars are left in the driveway with a garage door opener inside, Sitzes said the thief can easily access the house. He said most people don’t lock the door leading from the garage into the home.

Garage door openers can be stolen or programed giving the thief access to the home at any time.

Sitzes said the best solution is to make sure cars are locked and to lock all doors to the home.